Our marketing director said I was aggressive and pushy.
It was a big slap in the face – mostly because I knew it was true, but thought I’d hidden it by being ‘nice’.
Once I got over the shock, it became one of the best bits of feedback I’ve ever had, starting a great period of personal growth.
But lots of barriers can get in the way of personal growth. Which is a shame, because all the important developments in our professional lives are built on it. It can be a practical, useful way to achieve what we want. Whether that’s a big promotion, more balance so that tasks and working relationships are easier and not such a slog, or the delivery of a significant project.
Here’s how to overcome the barriers to personal growth:
- Seek Feedback
It’s painful, but other people can sometimes see things that we can’t see or won’t acknowledge;
- Look for Incongruence
If you feel different on the inside to how you think you ‘ought’ to be on the outside, that’s a clue to what your personal growth might need to focus on;
- Clear Outcomes
Personal growth should be a useful, practical thing. What is it that you want to achieve?
- Experiment
Growth comes from trying out new ways of being; learning from what works and what doesn’t. Experiment with how you do and say things.
The key to overcoming the barriers to personal growth is to risk being vulnerable in order to discover something helpful.
